Adjustable light and ventilating screen



Jan. 12, 1932. L. s. SIMON ADJUSTABLE LIGHT AND VENTILATING SCREEN Filed March 6, 1929 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 12, 1932 PATENT OFFICE LESTER s. SIMON, or LARCHMON'I, New YORK ADJUSTABLE LIGHT AND VEHTILATING SCREEN Application filed March 6,

v This invention relates to light controlling and air controlling screens, and with respect to its more specific features, to screens which may be disposed in and out of relation controlling a window opening or other space and which are operable to regulate the air and light passing the screen.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a screen which is adapted for 10 large, as well as small, window openings or other apertures, and which is readily in stalled and operated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a relatively light weight, simple and inexpensive construction of screen and which is adapted for being disposed out of the way to one side of the window opening to be controlled but which may be conveniently disposed to intercept the window opening in variable degree as may be desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a screen of the character described in which the passage of light and air is controlled by" simple and inexpensive material such as lengths of cloth, which may freely depend from an upper point and yet are not apt to twist into inoperative or unsightly S. ape.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a screen composed of a series of relatively shiftable shutters, these shutters being suspended from an upper point so as more or less freely to swin at their lower ends, the whole structure beingin the nature .of a. curtain composed of a series ofshutters operative to control both light and air without removing the curtain from its position intercepting the window opening.

' Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, andv arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the a plication of which will be indicated in the c aims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had to the following detailed description r and supporting-rollers 5, which rollers are in 1929. Serial no. 344,704.

' general arrangement of the shutters o the screen, on a relatively small scale compared to Fig. 3; r

Fig. 5 illustrates a detail.

Referring now more specificall to the drawings, the screen is composed o a series of shutters, the individual shutters being generally indicated by the numerals 1. Each o shutter is suspended on an individual upright axis, as the pivot pin 2, whereby it has oscillatable movement transversely of the plane of the window opening to open and close the screen, The pivot pin 2 of each shutter is supported by an individual hanger 3. Said hangers may consist of an open rectangular metal frame, as illustrated, each having an axle 4 journalled in the frame 3 89 turn supported by parallel tracks 6 and 7 fastened at an elevated'or upper position, as for instance immediately inside the window light 8 and to the upper wall of the recess or niche in the building or other. object having the openin to be controlled. The hanger 3 depends etween the tracks 6 and 7 sulficientl far sothat the shutter 1 may oscillate on t e pin 2 without interference by the tracks. In the present embodiment the 90 tracks 6 and 7 are integral parts of. a curved metal channel member or housing 9, the upper face 10 of which is suitably fastened in stationary position by the screws or bolts 11. Within the housing is supported a guide pulley 12 around which passes a cord 13, which cord is also attached to the hanger 3, this cord passing through the open hangers and to the left, as illustrated in Fig. 1, where it a W turn passes over a second pulley 14 and terminates in a handle or tassle 15 by which the cord may conveniently be pulled. Another cord 16, which ma be an extension of cord 13, is also attache to the hanger to which the cord 13 is attached, and the cord 16 also passes through the housing, and over a third pulley 17,.terminating in a handle or tassle 18. The individual shutters are each reciprocally shiftable horizontally relative to each other so as to extend and collapse the screen, these reciprocal movements being, by reason of the hangers 3, readily and easily shiftable along the tracks on'account of their support from the anti-friction rollers 5.

Each shutter is individually suspended for oscillatable movement on its upright axis 2 and for reciprocal shift on the tracks to extend and collapse the screen. Each shutter is mainly composed of a length of flexible cloth 19, as for instance a good quality of canvas orthe like. Preferably, this cloth is semi-opaque to light, so that when the screen is closed it reduces the amount of light passing therethrough and avoids glare. Preferably also, it is of a consistency to prevent the passage of air therethrough. At its upper end, each length of cloth is clamped by a frame composed of a pair of metal plates or clamping jaws indicated at 20 and 21.

These plates are relatively stifi and hold the flexible cloth'in s read-out condition where attached. One o the plates, as 20, has an overhanging flange 22 through which the pivot pin 2 passes for supporting the screen. At the lower end each screen has a pair of clamping plates 23 and 24 likewise stiff and serving to spread' the cloth of the screen. The cloth is held between the respective upper. and lower pairs of plates by screws 25 and 26 which serve to clamp them firmly onto the cloth. It will be seen that the upper and lower pairs of clamping jaws are spaced from each other vertically, so that there is a considerable length of flexible cloth between the upper pair and the lower pair.

Between the upper pair and the lower pair of clamping plates is a connection which is of increased resistance to flexing under torque as compared to that of the cloth of the screen. Inthe present embodiment this connection is provided by a relatively stiff and narrow bar 26 fixed to one of the upper and of the lower pairs of clamping plates of the shutter so as to connect the upper and lower pairs of jaws to each other, the bar 26 lying close alongside the length of cloth. By the pro vision of this connection-26, when either of the pairs of clamping plates are taken hold of and operated to oscillate the flexible cloth on its upright axis '2, the whole length of cloth 19 will be oscillated uniformly whereas were there no connection between the upper and lower pairs of plates, the cloth of the screen would be twisted, being readily yieldable to torque, so that the uniform flat continuity of the cloth length would not be maintained.

The numerals 27 indicate ties which are readily foldable to permit the adjacent shutters to extend and collapse relative to each other. These ties are disposedbetween and connect adjacent shutters for transmission of the oscillating movement from one shutter to the other in either direction of oscillation.

In the embodiment illustrated, the ties 27 are means, preferably by a flexible member 30 p which has an eye passing through an aperture 30. In Fig. 3, I have shown'such a connection between one of the ears 28 and a chain or cord 27, and it is to be understood that similar connections may be used at the other ears. It will now be seen that when one of the shutters, as for instance the right hand shutter illustrated in Fig. '2, is moved to the left, the chain 27 will fold so that this collapsing movement will be permitted. \Vhen the'right hand shutter comes in contact with the left hand shutter, both together will move further to the left on a collapsing-shift l movement until the entire screen is collapsed into a small compass, as for instance illustrated at the left in Fig. 1. When the screen is extended, as illustrated for instance at the right in Fig. 1, the lower part of either shut- I ter may be'grasped and the shutter oscillated on its pivotal axis 2 and this movement of oscillation will be transmitted to the other shutters and in either direction of oscillation through the chains 27, which latter connect extended by pulling on the cord, an anchor ing device 31 is provided. In the embodiment illustrated, this anchoring device comprises a stationary pin having a loop 32, which is pivotally connected to the bar 26 by the loop 32, embracing this bar in a. manner to cooperate with said bar so that the :hutter to-which it is attached may oscillate n its upright axis 2 but is arrested from :hifting along the tracks 6 and 7. In-pracice, the bar 26 has opposite notches 33 proiding anarrowed portion passing through he loop 32. The anchor 31 may be screwhreaded for being stationarily supported in he lateral walls of the window opening, or he screen may be provided with upright side j'rames 34 and 35 attached to the ends of the iousing and to the sill of the window frame )r to a cross-piece 36. Thus, by the provision )f the housing, the two lateral side pieces 34 and 35 and the bottom cross-piece 36, a 'ectangular frame structure is provided for ;upporting the movable parts of the screen mdso as to form a unitary structure readily adapted to be placed in position in the winlow opening.

One or more of the above described screens nay be provided for each window opening. in Fig. 1, two screens are illustrated, one For the left hand side of the window and the .eft being shown in collapsed condition and ;he one at the right in extended condition,

with the shutters turned with their planes it right angles to the aperture of the window. The width of the screens provided by the sloth should be such that when the shutters are rotated on the upright axis 2 to close the screen, adjacent shutters will overlap each other and practically completely exclude passage of light. WVhen both screens are extended in the manner shown at the right of Fig. 1, then the shutters on adjacent screens may be fa'stened'together by any suitable means so as to close the window or other aperture,'andv prevent collapsing of the screens. Also, on account of their contiguous relation when closed, the screen prevents the flow of substantial air currents between the shutters. However, the shutters may be set at any desired an le, as for instance, partly open as shown in ig. 4, in which condition more light and more air are-permitted to pass therethrough.

In the embodiment illustrated the shutters are sus ended from an upper point so as rather Freely to swing except as hampered by the chains. By this-construction a sort of curtain-like structure is provided, which is relatively easy to manipulate so as to vary the distance between' adjacent shutters at different locations in the window opening, the shutters nevertheless being oscillatable in all positions. It is to be understood that the screen illustrated either at the right or left in 1 is constructed and operated in accordance with the foregoing description. It is also to be understood that certain aspects of the invention contemplate that thescreen may not be wholly guided at the top but that partial guiding at the bottom ma be effected either by similar construction 0 hangers to those hereinbefore described, or in any other practical way. One form of guiding means which may be used at the bottom of a shutter is shown in Fig. 3, wherein a pin 1' or the window opening, the guide pulley for the left I hand screen (Fig. 1) being indicated at 12. At 38 is indicated a similar guide pulley for the right'hand screen; also a portion of the operating cords for the latter screen.

It will be observed that when the screen is erected in'the window, the operating parts are in a great measure concealed. The guide pulleys 12 and 38 and the greater portion of the hangers, together with the operating cords, are concealed in the housing 9 and do not detract from the ornamental appearance of the screen.

As illustrated, each shutter is equipped with a torque resisting bar 26. It is to be understood, however, that the bar may be omitted from some of the shutters without de arting from the invention.

ince certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made withper and lower parts of said flexible material,

of increased resistance to torque compared to that of said flexible material, and a stop pivotally cooperative with said torque resistance connection of one shutter to check screen-extending shift of the latter shutter.

2. Apparatus of the character described including, in combination, a screen having a shutter of flexible material suspended on an upper, upright axis, for horizontally oscillating movement, aconnection between u per and lower parts of said flexible materia of increased resistance to torque compared to that of said flexible material, and a stop pivotally cooperative with said torque-res1stant connection of one shutter to check screenextending shift of the latter shutter, said stop comprising an anchor having a loop embracing said torque connection.

3. Apparatus of the character described including, in combination, a screen having a shutter consisting of a frame composed of upper and lower pairs of clamp jaws, a length of cloth clamped by and extending between said pairs, a relatively stifi' and narrow bar 5 connecting said pairs to each other and lying close alongside said length of cloth, and an anchor having a loop engaging and loosely receiving said bar therein. 4. Apparatus of the character described including, in combination, a screen, having a series of shutters of flexible material individually suspended from upper, upright axes for horizontal oscillating movement to open and close the screen, and reciprocally shiftable horizontally relative to each other to extend and collapse the screen, individual of said shutters having upper and lower pairs of flexible material-clamping and spreading plates, and a bar, of increased resistance to torque, compared to that of said flexible material, fixed to said upper and lower pairs. 5. Apparatus of the character described including, in combination, a screen, having a series of shutters of flexible material individually suspended from upper, upright axes -for horizontal oscillating movement to open and close the'screen, and reciprocally shiftable horizontally relative to each other to extendand collapse the screen, individual of said shutters having upper and lower pairs of flexible material-clamping and spreading plates, a bar, of increased resistance to torque, compared to that of said flexible material, fixed to said up er and lower pairs, one

clamping plate 0 each of said pairs having projecting ears at opposite sides of its pivotal axis, and foldable chains, connecting the similavside ears, of different plates to each other. 4n In testimony whereof I affix mysignature.

. LESTER S. SIMON. 

